Anna had almost forgotten that she needed to head back to the highway. She just stood there, lost in the beauty of the majestic sea. The hymn had disappeared, but it left a strong impact on her.
"It's quite dangerous to be here alone," Jimin said as he appeared from behind, startling Anna.
Anna gasped, taking a deep breath. She turned back and patted her chest to calm her racing heart. "I didn't expect to see you here," she said nervously.
"I live nearby," Jimin answered shortly, taking a few steps closer to the edge of the sea.
"Here? In this forest?" Anna asked in bewilderment, but she quickly realized her criticizing tone. "I mean, it's quite fascinating that you live in such a beautiful place."
Jimin chuckled softly at her. He raised his brows and leaned closer to her. "A normal human can't live in the forest..." he clarified. "I live a few meters away, but whenever I walk to college, I always visit this sea," he explained.
Anna nodded, her heart racing. She cleared her throat and nervously tucked her hair behind her ears.
"I didn't mean to judge you," Anna said apologetically.
"It's okay," Jimin replied. "Humans tend to make mistakes. They might forget them, but sooner or later, they have to face the consequences," he spoke with a slight smirk playing on his lips.
Anna frowned. "I didn't get the meaning," she said.
Jimin shifted his gaze to the sea. "You'll get it in the future," he said.
Anna still failed to understand the meaning behind his tangled words. She gazed at him for a long moment, sensing a hint of pain wandering on his face. His eyes, which carried a shade of ocean blue, reflected against the sunlight. His smooth hair fell over his forehead as the wind slowly caressed it.
Anna felt her heart thudding loudly in her chest. She couldn't look away from him. She wanted to be with him, to know everything about him. She desperately wanted to feel his heartbeat. For a moment, Anna hated herself for not having access to her heart, which had never beat for anyone else before, but for a guy who seemed so unapproachable.
"Why do you visit such a lonely place?" Anna finally broke her silence.
Jimin turned his gaze back on her, his sharp, intense eyes locking onto hers. The weight of his stare made Anna feel exposed and small, causing her to instinctively shrink back, as if trying to disappear into herself.
"It's quite interesting that you want to know about me," Jimin said with a mischievous smirk on his lips.
"It's not like that," Anna replied. "I... I just wanted to know because this place is usually abandoned," she tried to clarify the misunderstanding.
Jimin gasped. "So you don't want to know about me?" he asked, dramatically putting both hands on his chest. "You broke my heart."
"It's not like this at all.... I... I..." Anna stuttered. "You're making me nervous, Jimin," she said.
Jimin laughed softly, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he watched Anna stumble over her words. He tilted his head slightly, his playful smirk still lingering on his lips. "Relax, Anna," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "I'm just teasing you. You don't have to be so nervous around me."
Anna let out a small, shaky breath, her cheeks flushing pink. She glanced down at her feet, trying to steady her racing heart. "I'm not usually this awkward," she mumbled, half to herself. "It's just... you're kind of intimidating, you know?"
Jimin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Me? Intimidating?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm just a guy, Anna. Nothing special."
Anna looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Nothing special? Are you serious? You're... you're Jimin. You're... different." She hesitated, unsure of how to explain what she meant without sounding foolish.
Jimin's expression softened, and he took a step closer to her. "Different how?" he asked, his voice quieter now, more curious.
Anna hesitated, her mind racing. She didn't want to say too much, but the words spilled out before she could stop them. "You're not like anyone else. You're confident, mysterious, and... I don't know, you just seem like you're from another world or something." She immediately regretted saying it, feeling her face grow even hotter.
Jimin's lips curved into a small, knowing smile, but he didn't respond right away. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the sea, watching the waves crash against the rocks. "Maybe I am from another world," he said lightly, though there was a hint of something deeper in his tone.
Anna frowned, unsure if he was joking or not. Before she could ask, Jimin turned back to her, his playful demeanor returning. "But enough about me," he said, his tone brightening. "What about you? What brings you out here all alone? It's not exactly a common spot for morning walks."
Anna hesitated, unsure how much to share. "I... I heard something," she admitted quietly. "A song, or a hymn, I guess. It was so beautiful, but also kind of haunting. I couldn't help but follow it."
Jimin's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual calm smile. "Sounds like you got lost in the magic of this place," he said. "It has a way of pulling people in."
Anna nodded, glancing around at the breathtaking scenery. "It's beautiful here," she said softly. "But also kind of... eerie. I didn't even realize how far I'd walked until I ended up here."
Jimin chuckled. "Well, you're lucky I showed up. This place can be dangerous if you don't know your way around." He paused, then added with a teasing grin, "Or maybe I'm the dangerous one."
Anna's eyes widened slightly, but before she could respond, Jimin laughed again, shaking his head. "I'm kidding, Anna. Relax. You're safe with me."
Anna let out a small laugh, though her heart was still racing. "You really like messing with me, don't you?"
Jimin shrugged, his smirk returning. "Maybe a little. But seriously, you should be more careful. This forest isn't the best place to wander alone."
Anna nodded, feeling a little embarrassed. "I know. I just... got carried away."
Jimin glanced at his watch, then back at her. "Speaking of getting carried away, shouldn't we be heading to college? It's getting late."
Anna's eyes widened as she realized the time. "Oh no, you're right! I completely lost track of time." She quickly pulled out her phone to check the hour, her panic rising.
Jimin chuckled, clearly amused by her reaction. "Come on," he said, gesturing for her to follow him. "I'll walk you back to the highway. You don't want to be late, do you?"
Anna hesitated, surprised by his offer. "You don't have to do that," she said quickly. "I can manage myself."
Jimin shrugged. "I can't have you getting lost again, can I?"
Anna smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Thank you, Jimin. I really appreciate it."
Jimin nodded, his expression softening. "No problem. Just try to stay out of trouble, okay?"
As they walked back through the forest, the sunlight filtering through the trees, Anna couldn't help but steal glances at Jimin. There was something about him that she couldn't quite figure out, something that drew her in despite her fears and insecurities.